[Hip fracture in patients with dementia: surgery is not always the best alternative]

Patients with dementia are at risk of hip fracture. The prognosis of rehabilitation after surgery is less favourable than in the general population, because of higher mortality, more complications and a longer rehabilitation period. We present 2 female patients with dementia (77 and 86 years old) who each received a different therapy: one surgical, the other conservative. Dutch elderly care physicians make use of advance care planning to determine how to make medical decisions. The policy for treatment might be curative, palliative or symptomatic. When making a medical decision, it is important to consider if a treatment is effective, proportional and if the intended outcome is desirable. In some cases of hip fracture in patients with dementia, conservative treatment and withholding surgery can be good care. More investigation is needed for further evidence-based decision-making.